posted
Can we pretty-please with sugar on it go back to using the lovely bold and italic features when we wish to emphasis something? Please? All this all-caps is getting very old. Plus, I think people tend to get more annoyed when you use all caps then when you use bold... it just comes across as rude.
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I AGREE THAT IT COMES ACROSS AS OBNOXIOUS WHEN YOU TYPE IN ALL CAPS.
But if you are JUST capitilizing to emphasize some of the words, I don't really see any difference between using some of the other emphasis techniques.
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posted
I think it's the overuse of emphasis that gets annoying (and diminishes the effectiveness) whichever style is used.
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posted
All-caps is more difficult to read than the other options. Your brain processes the shape of a word as well as the actual letter combinations, so you read common words that you recognize the shape of much, much faster than other words that you actually have to look at the letters. When you use all-caps, the words are all the same shape (rectangular) and just different lengths. Most style books have sections on this... but frankly I'm just paraphrasing my mother.
In other words, all-caps hurts my eyes. And what dkw said
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posted
I spent too much time on ISCA bbs in the late-80s/early-90s, where astricks indicated action. Like *hug* or *giggle*. I still think that way. But it works, too.
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posted
When I saw him START lecturing Dagonee on LEGAL TERMS, I was pretty SURE we were ABOUT to see him start DISSECTING his own PANCREAS.
I was FASCINATED.
ElJay's right that all-caps is more jarring than other emphases, and dkw's correct that any overuse is bad use. TomD is also correct that some of the strongest political consciences tend to come in flaming, but those that stay seem to find ways of being effective at getting their points across.
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I've finally (finally) figured out that I have to apply the same frame of reference I rely on in visiting my family in Indiana to reading some posts or even threads here. That is, don the social scientist's garb and sit back: "Why, I do say, what extremely odd behavior."
The emotional distance smoothes out the cognitive dissonance quite nicely.
FASCINATING.
[ September 21, 2004, 12:59 PM: Message edited by: Sara Sasse ]
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quote:Calling somebody a troll might be obnoxious and pointless, but it's not really trollish. Wikipedia entry for internet troll
quote: On the Internet, troll is a slang term used to describe:
1. A post (on a newsgroup, or other forum) that is solely intended to incite controversy or conflict or cause annoyance or offense. (Many posts may inadvertently cause strife as collateral damage, but they are not trolls.) 2. A person who posts these.
By the proper definition, what Stroman doing is not trolling either. His posts are intended to commuicate opinion, not "solely intend to incite controversy" etc. Calling someone a troll is much closer to this definition (since it could be considered intentionally causing offence) than what Stroman is doing.
It's fairly common for the proper definition to be ignored though, and for Jatraqueros to call anyone doing anything they consider annoying a troll.
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posted
I hate that, though, Sara - needing to put on the distance and armor.
Fortunately, it's not needed all the time, only occasionally. The times that it isn't makes the times that it is worth it.
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quote:TomD is also correct that some of the strongest political consciences tend to come in flaming, but those that stay seem to find ways of being effective at getting their points across.
Wait...wasn't that me?
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posted
I thought it was me but I realized I have still never learned how to get my points across. In anything.
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posted
No, I'm not hot. But it appears by the name calling that I'm a troll, ignorant and a phallus.
Oh, I guess I'm also British.
Oh and a nincompoop.
And I'm supposed to care what they think....(but I think it at least makes them feel better about themselves, so I'm happy) Posts: 1533 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
I say he's a freeper, sent to destroy us. His mission: to remove from the internet any place where political debate is above the level of semi-coherent talking point shouting matches.
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quote: TomD is also correct that some of the strongest political consciences tend to come in flaming, but those that stay seem to find ways of being effective at getting their points across.
One of these days I'll manage to join the ranks of these fine people...
Posts: 1114 | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Chad, you are overcalling it. Just because I speak British in my head doesn't mean I'm calling you British. I am, however, pretty sure you are accustomed to being inflammatory and than acting as if you have no idea what is going on when people call you on it.
Disingenuity reminds me of my ex-husband, and my ex-husband brings out the British in me.
Make an effort to figure out how to interact in this already-established community in a civil way, and we can be friends. Keep up with the heavy disingenuity, and I'll view you from afar. I don't know your address or telephone number, and I don't care to -- I certainly don't care to follow you around and cause you ill in your life.
I'm only interested in interacting with people who share both authenticity and civility with me, and beyond that, I leave people alone. You've had your trial by fire here, and now you have a lot of people watching. You seem like a passionate soul and may well be a pleasant enough guy, who knows?
I hope we can be civil friends, but if your definition of civility and authenticity ends up being very different from mine, then we can just stay out of each other's way. That works, too.
Speaking of the voices in my head, this is an embarrassing point -- Noemon, I "hear" your words in exactly, exactly the same voice as I hear TomD's when I read you. I'm not sure why, and I cannot shake it. Some brain glitch. The same for Anne Kate and Theca -- from the point of view of my brain, they are the same person.
I'm sorry for the misattribution. Yes, I believe it was you that said it.
[ September 22, 2004, 09:31 AM: Message edited by: Sara Sasse ]
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And what dkw said
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